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Sunday World
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Sunday World
Albanian drug trafficker pleads not be extradited as son has chance of Premier League career
Elis Lila's son is 'on the cusp' of getting a scholarship from a Premier League club Elis Lila's two sons play for Watford FC and are currently in the Championship. MailOnline has reported that his eldest son is 'on the cusp' of receiving a football scholarship at a Premier League club, however both boys have 'good prospects' of becoming pro footballers. The 40-year-old spent six years involved in a drug smuggling gang in the Italian town of Pesaro, before he fled to Albania in 2012. A soccer ball on the grass in the field by the net News in 90 Seconds - June 25th That year he was sentenced to 11 years behind bars in Italy for drug smuggling and facilitating prostitution, but he didn't serve any of his sentence as he went to Albania before moving to the UK with his wife in 2016. The self-employed tiler, was given leave to remain in the UK for two and a half years. He has spent the last four years fighting deportation to Italy after judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court ordered that he should be extradited as he has five outstanding European Arrest Warrants. Lila challenged the ruling, and at a second extradition hearing in 2024, it was ruled once again that he should be extradited to Italy. He appealed the decision once again, and a hearing was held at the High Court in March. In the judge's ruling, Mr Justice Mould once again said he should be extradited, ruling that his wife would find a way to manage supporting their sons as they continued to play football in the UK. His report states that the family have been living a 'stable life' since moving to the UK. 'He has built a business in the UK which enables him financially to support his family 'He and his wife organise their lives so as to provide the practical day-to-day support needed to enable his eldest children to build on their footballing skills and develop their potential as future professional football players. 'There is a very real risk that, if extradited to Italy, after serving his remaining sentence the appellant will not be permitted to return to live in the UK. 'The eldest sons' prospects as potential professional footballers and the practical problems that would result from the appellant's absence was in evidence before the District Judges and formed part of the overall evaluation of proportionality.' The judge found that his wife, Mrs Lila, would be able to manage getting her children to football training while her husband was in prison in Italy. 'There is likely to be real hardship and the impact on family life will be considerable. 'Nevertheless, I am satisfied that the District Judges were correct to give weight to the proven resilience and resourcefulness of Mrs Lila, and the likelihood that she would be able to cope with the loss of the appellant. 'That was a factor which lessened the severity of the impact of extradition in this case,' he added. The judge said that there would be 'emotional distress' and 'financial hardship' following his extradition. 'I have no doubt that this was exceptionally difficult for the Appellant's wife and children but it demonstrates the strength of character of his wife and her amazing resilience and determination as a person and as a mother. 'For these three years, when she was no doubt at her most vulnerable, his wife built a life in the UK for her and her children, with no financial help from the Appellant and when he was in Albania and therefore, emotional support would be somewhat limited. Read more 'I accept that it will be difficult emotionally for her should he be extradited but the strength of character and resilience she has shown, will no doubt mean that she will cope,' he continued. He added that Mrs Lila will find a way to manage taking the children to football, school, and other activities. 'I have no doubt that the Academy will offer what support they can to the family. 'If she closes the business, then I still find that she will continue to ensure that their son is able to attend the Academy.'
The Irish Sun
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Ian Bailey's ‘final goodbye' with ashes scattered at Cork pier as family say Sophie murder accusation ‘took toll on him'
THE family of Ian Bailey have scattered his ashes in the sea off west Cork. Bailey — the chief suspect in the 1996 5 Ian Bailey died of a heart attack in January 2024 Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 5 Ian's sister Kay scattered his ashes at Skeaghanore Pier Credit: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision 5 Sophie Toscan du Plantier was murdered in Ireland in 1996 Credit: Copyright remains with handout provider The His grieving sister Kay Reynolds arranged a private funeral for the journalist after he dropped dead on a Bantry street last year. Bailey was cremated and Kay initially brought his ashes back to Kay said: 'He absolutely loved west READ MORE IN IAN BAILEY 'It is very appropriate that this is where we spread his ashes. It is something he wanted.' Opening up about his passing, she recalled: 'He had been quite fit until the last couple of years. 'It finally got to him. He was not taking care of himself, but it was all to do with the pressure. 'It had been relentless for almost 30 years. It took its toll on him. Most read in The Irish Sun 'There were times he did not help himself. I think if he had kept quiet it would have been better, but that was not Ian's style. He had nothing to hide and he would not hide. He confronted his challengers face on. ' Ian Bailey's final post revealed as he thanks fans for the 'most successful year' days before dying aged 66 'I don't think that helped.' 'DOWNFALL' Kay told 96FM producer Paul Byrne, who was one of a few invited guests attending the final ceremony: 'As a family, we never thought that he had done this. 'That was Ian's style of journalism. He thought outside the box. 'I think that was what happened there and became his downfall. She said she Kay insisted: 'From the moment he told us, he phoned us to let us know we would start to see things in the paper about him, we never doubted him — that he had not been involved in this.' Kay also remembered Sophie, who was TIMELINE OF SOPHIE CASE December 23, 1996: Sophie's battered body, still in night clothes, is found outside her holiday home near Schull, west Cork, by a neighbour. February 10, 1997: Ian Bailey is arrested at his home for the murder but is later released. April 17, 1997: Inquest hears Sophie died from multiple injuries, including laceration of the brain and skull fracture, caused by a blunt instrument. January 27, 1998: Ian Bailey is arrested and quizzed for a second time, but is again released without charge. January 2002: A review is ordered into the murder investigation after a highly critical report is written by a solicitor. June 2008: A French magistrate orders the exhumation of Sophie's body for a post-mortem and forensic examination. July 2008: An inquiry into the handling of the murder probe recommends no prosecution. June to October 2009: French authorities travel to West Cork to view the crime scene and meet Irish investigators. Two Garda detectives travel to February 19, 2010: A French judge issues a European Arrest Warrant. April 23, 2010: March 18, 2011: High Court orders Bailey to surrender to European arrest warrant but he appeals to Supreme Court. March 1, 2012: The Supreme Court rules in Bailey's favour in his appeal against extradition. May 31, 2019: Bailey is found guilty of Sophie's murder in his absence in France. He is sentenced to 25 years in June 21, 2019: French authorities issue a third October 12, 2020: High Court rules against Bailey being extradited. Later, State decides not to appeal. It ends attempts to extradite Bailey. She said: 'This is not to forget that a very young mother was brutally murdered. 'I feel so sorry for the family because of the misguided belief that Ian committed the murder. They have just had so many years of torture.' Kay added: 'This is a final goodbye. And it's just doing the right thing by Ian and all of the support that he's had.' 5 The house where Sophie Toscan du Plantier stayed in Cork Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 5 Kay initially brought his ashes back to Britain Credit: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision
RTÉ News
29-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Senior Kinahan figure on way to Ireland after extradition
One of the most senior figures in the Kinahan Organised Crime Group, who is wanted in Ireland to face charges of murder and involvement with a criminal gang, has been extradited from the United Arab Emirates. Sean McGovern, who was named in the Special Criminal Court as one of the leaders of the group, is on a Defence Forces military aircraft to Ireland. The Irish Air Corps Airbus C295 plane which is bringing him back to Ireland is due to land later today. The aircraft left Casement Aerodrome in Dublin on Monday morning en route to Dubai. It stopped in Marseille in France and Larnaca in Cyprus before arriving in Dubai on Tuesday afternoon. It flew out of Al Maktoum International Airport at around 8pm Irish time last night with Mr McGovern on board, escorted by gardaí and military personnel. The 39-year-old, who gardaí say is Daniel Kinahan's right-hand man, is wanted for the murder of Noel Kirwan, an innocent man who was shot dead as part of the Hutch-Kinahan feud in December 2016. Mr McGovern is the first person to be extradited from the United Arab Emirates to Ireland. He has been in custody for over seven months and is being escorted back to Ireland by gardaí who are expected to formally arrest him when his plane lands here, and charge him before the Special Criminal Court. A European Arrest Warrant has already been issued by the High Court. Mr McGovern was arrested by police in Dubai on 10 October 2024 on foot of an Interpol red notice, a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. He has been contesting his extradition since, but the fact that he has been put on an Irish military plane and is being flown back to Ireland is evidence that he has lost that fight and that extradition proceedings in the UAE have now concluded. Interpol described Mr McGovern as "one of Ireland's most wanted fugitives" and said the red notice was published to support the ongoing collaboration between the Irish and UAE authorities. It also confirmed that Mr McGovern is wanted for charges including murder and directing an organised crime group. Mr McGovern is one of the seven senior figures in the Kinahan Organised Crime Group named and sanctioned by the US authorities. Originally from Drimnagh in Dublin, he was part of the Byrne Organised Crime Group, the Dublin faction of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group.
